Former Celtic Isaiah Thomas is making his season and Cleveland Cavaliers debut on Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, Thomas, who is still recovering from a hip injury, will be held out of back-to-back games and will not play against his former team in Boston on Wednesday night.
Isaiah Thomas will make his season debut Tuesday vs POR, per Ty Lue. He'll come off the bench and be under a minute restriction. He will not play vs BOS.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 1, 2018
Thomas has been rehabbing since the start of the offseason, after choosing not to undergo hip surgery. He’s been nearing a return to play in recent weeks and recently started scrimmaging five on five in Cavaliers practices.
Thomas was traded to Cleveland from Boston, along with Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the last of the Brooklyn Nets picks Boston owned, in a late-August trade that brought Kyrie Irving to the Celtics.
Thomas, who became an NBA All-Star and All-NBA performer in Boston, has been publicly critical of the trade and the handling of his injury by the Celtics in recent weeks. However, he still professes love for his former teammates and the fans in Boston.
With Thomas missing Wednesday’s game, the next chance fans will have to see the former Celtics guard in Boston will be Sunday, February 11th in a game broadcast on ABC.